Purpose

Establishes a Child Care Home Provider Registry (CCHPR) within the Child Care Resources and Referral System (CCRRS). Establishes registration criteria for a person who cares for four or fewer children to be listed as a child care home provider.

Background

One purpose for CCRRS is to provide families with information on choosing child care, the types of available child care and referrals to providers. The other purpose for CCRRS is to present child care providers with information on training programs and to provide technical assistance relating to initiating child care services.

The Department of Economic Security (DES) administers the CCRRS. According to DES, child care home providers who care for up to four children can voluntarily list with them if, by declaratory statement the provider has not committed certain criminal offenses and has not been the subject of a substantiated CPS report. DES does not conduct background checks on these providers.

To voluntarily be placed on the CCRRS, the bill requires a child care home provider to: (1) obtain a DPS fingerprint clearance card, (2) clear a Child Protective Services Central Registry (CPSCR) check and (3) provide a written sworn statement regarding a fenced pool, locked firearms, CPR and first aide training and no denial of a child care facility license.

Provisions

1. Establishes the Child Care Home Provider Registry (CCHPR) within the CCRRS to provide families with information about registered in-home child care providers.

Requirements for Child Care Home Providers

2. Requires registration of a child care home provider who receives compensation to care for four or fewer children and has not been certified with DES or the Department of Health Services.

3. Requires applicants to submit fingerprints for federal and state criminal background checks.

4. Stipulates that registrants must provide a sworn statement regarding:

(a) Criminal offenses in this state or similar offenses in another state or

jurisdiction.

(b) If they are a parent of a child adjudicated dependent by the courts.

(c) If they have been denied a license to operate a child care facility in this state or another state or had a license or certificate revoked.

5. Specifies that the notarized forms are confidential.

6. Requires a registered provider to maintain certification in first aid and infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

7. Requires applicants to enclose any pools and safely store firearms and ammunition separately.

DES Requirements

8. Requires DES to assist persons in becoming registered as child care home providers.

9. Permits information in the CPSCR to be used for a background check for registering a child care home provider.

10. Specifies reasons for DES to remove a child care home provider from the CCHPR.

11. Requires DES to establish a complaint tracking and appeal system.

12. Requires DES to keep the licensure, certification and registration status of providers in the referral database.

13. Requires outreach services to include information about the CCHPR.

14. Requires DES to adopt rules, but exempts DES from the rule making process until July 1, 2002.

15. Requires DES to use appropriated quality set-aside monies from the federal Child

Care Development block grant in fiscal years 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 for implementation and operation of the CCHPR.

Miscellaneous

16. Contains definitions.

17. Makes technical and conforming changes.

18. Contains a delayed effective date of March 31, 2002.

House Action

HS 1/30/01 DPA 5-3-1-1

3^rd Read 2/15/01 40-18-2-0